The bill is $230K so far, and Furey says security at the National War Memorial isn't going anywhere

Bringing home an Unknown Soldier to rest at the National War Memorial in downtown St. John's meant added security at the site — 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

GardaWorld security guards walk the site day and night, rain or shine. The province has spent $230,000 on the service as of January, and there's no indication that will end.

It was Premier Andrew Furey's directive to employ security at the site indefinitely.

"I wanted to make sure that this son of ours was protected, that the war memorial and everybody that [it] represents was protected from any potential vandalism or any signs of disrespect," said Furey. 

"Whatever the price is, we will pay it, because this son of ours, and the people he represents, paid the ultimate price."

Newfoundland's Unknown Soldier, who died during the First World War, was repatriated from France in a ceremony 2024. He was laid to rest at the National War Memorial in St. John's on July 1 — which also represents Memorial Day in Newfoundland and Labrador — during a sombre ceremony attended by thousands.

Furey's plan is to eventually have a guard of honour watch over the memorial as a symbolic sign of respect to the Unknown Soldier. But even then, said Furey, private security may stay in place.

The premier said he will "own" any criticism of the cost and implications of the around-the-clock security.

WATCH | The tomb of the Unknown Soldier is being protected at great expense:

24/7 security will stay at National War Memorial, premier says

5 hours ago

Duration 2:56

It’s costing the province hundreds of thousands of dollars to provide security at the National War Memorial in St. John’s. But as the CBC’s Terry Roberts reports, the premier says no price is too high to protect the Unknown Soldier.

Transportation and infrastructure minister Fred Hutton said the security is there to prevent any damage to what he calls a sacred and sombre site.

He said the provincial government would much rather take preventative action rather than react to vandalism.

"We spent a lot of money to bring this up to a certain standard so that the unknown soldier could be placed here," Hutton said, standing in front of the tomb on Tuesday. 

He said security doesn't necessarily make the site look like it has to be protected from something or someone, but rather the presence of security highlights the site's significance.

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